Ex-Giant Shaun O'Hara: Dave Gettleman is no cockroach

Ex-Giant Shaun O'Hara: Dave Gettleman is no cockroach

When the lights come on or he enters the room, the players will not scatter or hide. That’s because, in the words of retired New York Giants center Shaun O’Hara, newly hired general manager Dave Gettleman is no cockroach.

Related

“I really like Dave,” O’Hara told the New York Post. “I know him just from a players’ standpoint. I don’t know what he’s like to work with. I like his mindset, in conversations I’ve had with him, being around him.

“No. 1, he’s extremely approachable and he’s very engaging. He’s one of those guys when you walk into the cafeteria, people gravitate towards him. He goes out of his way to approach people. That to me is a big deal. I played for coaches who I call Cockroach Coaches — when he walks in the room, everybody scatters like cockroaches when the lights come on, because nobody wants to talk to him. Just get away, don’t make eye contact, you don’t want to get stuck in small talk. Gettleman is the complete opposite of that.”

O’Hara’s take is an interesting one and in contrast to what has predominantly come out of Carolina. Down south, certain players were believed to dislike Gettleman and his contract negotiation skill. There was also some dismay with how he chose to handle cornerback Josh Norman and wide receiver Steve Smith.

Prior to his termination in Carolina, there was also issue taken with how Gettleman handled and planned to handle tight end Greg Olsen.

“You look at what he did down in Carolina, he built a good team,” O’Hara said. “I think he deserves a lot of credit for their Super Bowl run and their team. You look at the players he signed but you also look at the players he didn’t sign. The Josh Norman situation to me was very interesting and I loved every second of it. I love the message it sent the team. How many games has Washington won since he’s been there?”

O’Hara certainly isn’t alone in his stance on Gettleman. Following the announcement of his hiring, several former Giants came out with public support of the move. Former cornerback Terrell Thomas, running back Brandon Jacobs and defensive end Osi Umenyiora all applauded the move.

Related

It’s clear that Gettleman has a plan and if a player doesn’t fit or buy into that plan, no matter how individually talented they may be, they’ll be shown the door. And that attitude has led to tremendous success for Gettleman and his teams throughout his executive career.

Like this article?

Sign up for the Giants Wire email newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning

Success

Thanks for signing up.
You'll be waking up a little more awesome tomorrow.